Shorten the Inside Leg

Odermatt/DIA Picture Alliance/Alamy

Overview

  • Movement 6: Shorten your inside leg to increase edge angle and pressure on your outside ski.

  • This action is especially effective on steep terrain.

  • This description is the sixth of eight modules included in the Ski Technique module, describing how elite skiers and racers carve turns.

  • Shorten the inside leg by raising your inside heel while rolling your inside ankle and knee toward the snow away from your outside leg.

  • Skilled racers shorten the inside leg to tighten the arc of a turn or when skiing steep terrain. The tighter the turn and the steeper the slope, the more the inside leg can be shortened.

  • The movements to shorten the inside leg begin at the start of a new turn.

Image by DIA Picture Alliance/Alamy/Graphics by ARM

Observe Henrik Kristoffersen as he shortens his inside leg in the video below. Pay close attention, and you’ll notice how the tail of his inside ski rises slightly.

Video by Filip Chwistek

Caution — Prevent Falling Sideways with these Key Movements

  • Your shoulders need to be mostly level by Separating just below the shoulders when shortening your inside leg. This action will prevent your body leaning away from the outside ski and falling sideways. Review Stack, Separate and Press

  • It is very important there is no pressure on your inside ski.

Shortening the inside leg is effective when skiing on steep terrain as demonstrated by Mikaela Shiffrin.

Mikaela Shiffrin/Image by I.P.A Sil/Alamy/Graphics by ARM

Javelin Drill

The Javelin Drill will help you focus on these key actions:

  1. Shortening the inside leg

  2. Rolling the inside ankle and knee towards the inside of the turn.

Watch Deb Armstrong demonstrate the Javelin Drill.

Video by Ski Strong

Key Takeaways

  1. To make a tighter turn or when skiing on steep terrain, skilled racers shorten their inside leg by lifting their heel, and rolling the inside ankle and knee toward the snow away from the outside leg.

  2. This movement begins when the outside ankle rolls toward the ball of the foot (behind the big toe) to start a new turn.

  3. Its crucial to ensure there is no pressure on the inside ski and your shoulders are level by separating just below the shoulders.

Suggested Learning Modules

Go to Ski Technique 7 Release

Return to Ski Technique or Ski Steep Terrain

Important Message: Skiing and ski racing involve inherent risks. It’s essential to ski responsibly and stay within your skill level and personal comfort limits.